With the July 31 trade deadline approaching, Cardinals left-hander Steven Matz has attracted attention from multiple teams, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Goold reports that “a handful of teams” are showing interest in Matz, and that the Cardinals are also likely open to trade talks involving reliever Phil Maton. However, moving closer Ryan Helsley would require a significant return, as he could still be extended a qualifying offer this offseason if not traded.
Matz, 34, is in the final year of his four-year, $44 million contract and is owed roughly $3.8 million by the trade deadline. While his overall tenure with St. Louis has been marred by injuries and inconsistency, 2025 has been a rebound year. Primarily pitching out of the bullpen, he has posted a 3.35 ERA over 51 innings, with 11 strikeouts and no walks in two starts. He’s recently hit a rough stretch, allowing nine runs in his last 12 innings, but overall has impressed with solid command and strikeout numbers. Teams are reportedly viewing him as a potential low-cost rotation piece or a versatile multi-inning reliever.
Phil Maton, 32, has also emerged as a valuable bullpen asset. After signing a $2 million deal late in the offseason, he has delivered 35 1/3 innings with a 2.55 ERA, striking out over 30% of batters faced. Despite past concerns about his declining velocity, Maton has added a couple of ticks to both his cutter and sinker this season and is once again thriving despite below-average velocity. He’s owed less than $800,000 for the rest of the season, making him an appealing option for teams needing affordable bullpen help. He’s already notched 18 holds and two saves.
Ryan Helsley, 31, is also generating interest, though trading him would be much tougher. He’s enjoying another solid year with a 3.27 ERA and 19 saves, though his strikeout and walk rates have dipped slightly from his dominant 2024 campaign, when he led the NL with 49 saves. He’s owed about $2.6 million after the deadline. The Cardinals could make him a qualifying offer this offseason — expected to exceed $21 million — and would receive a draft pick if he rejects it and signs elsewhere. That potential compensation is a key part of his trade value. There’s also a chance the Cardinals try to keep him long-term, either with the QO or via an extension. Helsley has said publicly he’d like to stay in St. Louis.
The team’s direction at the deadline will hinge on how they perform coming out of the All-Star break. At 51–46, the Cardinals sit 6.5 games behind the division-leading Cubs but just 1.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot. Their next 12 games — including series against the D-backs, Rockies, Padres, and Marlins — could determine whether they become buyers or sell off short-term assets like Matz, Maton, and potentially Helsley.